Process and means for drying and or otherwise treating timber



Jilly 15, 1929- I c. GOODALL 1,721,297

PROCESS AND MEANS FOR DRYING AND/OR OTHERWISE TREATING TIMBER Filed June 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Czar/ 6 00/0 I 5r I July 416, 1929. C. GOOD ALL v- 1.72.1,297

PROCESS AND MEANS FOR DRYINQAND/OR OTHERWISE TREATING TIMBER I I File J ne 1928 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR cue, A; a 0 4 arrakzvgm Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GOODALL, F T UTBURY, ENGLAND.

Appli'cationfiled June 7, 1928, Serial No. 283,488, and in Great Britain December 28, 1927.

pressure and the other to a suction pump or vacuum. It has also been proposed to enclose a log in a chamber, and to connect one end of the log to a cap or cover which communicates with a suction pump. Neither procedure is satisfactory, for the reason that the l resistance to fluid movement along the natural passages of some timbers is great and cannot readily be overcome by moderate fluid pressures.

The present invention comprises a process of subjecting the circumferential or outer surface of the timber as Well as one end to a vacuum, fluid pressure being applied to the other end. Fluid (either liquid, gas or vapor) is caused to pass along the timber by the combined action of fluid pressure applied at one'end and suction at the other end, and according to my invention, this operation is greatly facilitated by the removal of as much as possible or convenient, of the atmospheric pressure acting on the outer surface of the timber. It will be understood that the effect of the vaccum in which the timber is enclosed is not to promote escape of fluid through the outer surface of the timber but to enable fluid to pass more readily through the natural passages of the timber.

By applying water or the like under pressure to one end of the timber, the sap, resin and other contents may be forced, drawn and washed out. The timber may then be dried by passing any suitable gas; steam or air through it and afterwards treated in a similar manner with any dyeing, fireproofing or other desired solution.

I have obtained good results by applying fluid at a pressure. of 40 lbs. per square inch to oneend of a log and a vacuum of 27 inches of mercury at the other end, but these figures may be varied considerably to suit different requirements,

on rollers or wheels d and any suitable track or guides e in preferably the lower part of the cylinder at. The ends a of the cylinder are preferably retained in position by the vacuum but may be hinged and clamped or otherwise secured if desired.

The fluid under pressure may be introduced through a pipe Z communicating with water, gas or any other supply pipes such as m, n, and with fireproofing or other. solution contained in a tank or the like f, the pressure being under control in-'each case by means of any suitable pumping gear. A pressure plate g of convenient size and shape is attached to the end of the timber b by any suitable means such as a ball jointed screw and locknut h, the screw being passed into the end of the log. An internally projecting flange or rim 9 may be provided on the plate 9 which cuts into the end of the timber upon the lock-nut it being turned so forming a pressure-tight joint. A union or the like i is formed in said pressure plate connected by any suitable means such as flexible piping not shown upon the drawings to a union 7' in the cylinder at to which the pipe Z is conv nected, said connection being made easi detachable for convenience in use. The lates 9 may thus be placed in position onithe timber 6 before it is inserted in the cylinder and rapidly connected up to the source of .pressure.

Any suitable number of pressure plates and connections may be used within a cylinder so that a plurality of lengths of timber may be dealt with at one time' r A trap of any suitable type may be provided in the vacuum pipe it from the cylinder ber, subjecting the circumferential or outer a to intercept or catch the sap, resin or other surface of the timber as Well as one end to a by-products. vacuum, and applying fluid pressure to the 10 Having now described my invention what other end, substantially as described.

- 5 I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters In testimony whereof I have signed my Patent is name to this specification,

In the drying or other treatment of tim- CHARLES GOODALL. 

